Compton city council members and other officials at the ground-breaking ceremony for the Senior Activity Center (PHOTO BY FRANCIS TAYLOR)

On Wednesday, last week, the City of Compton hosted a gala Ground Breaking Ceremony for the Senior Activity Center and Parking Structure in North Downtown Compton. The occasion marked the beginning of the $24 million dollar public investment in the construction of a 28,000 square feet structure slated to be completed in 2013.

The celebration was attended by members of the Compton City Council and staff, the entire Compton Redevelopment Agency team, 52nd California Assembly District Member, Isadore Hall, senior citizens, and a host of others.

Dr. Kofi Sefa-Boakye, Compton Director of the Community Redevelopment Agency, welcomed all of the supporters and reminded everyone that, despite a challenging economy, the city of Compton is making great strides. “Despite the recession,” he said, “the city of Compton continues on the move and this new Senior Activity Center (SAC) and parking structure will stimulate business growth and development.”

Offering a long-awaited facility for Compton’s Seniors, the SAC, located at North Tamarind Ave and East Palmer Street, will be situated on a 40,000 square feet parcel adjacent to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Transit Center and will offer numerous amenities such as assembly rooms, family rooms, a kitchen, multiple activity rooms, and more. The parking structure will serve transit passengers and is based on a park-once concept with the purpose of encouraging walking and other alternatives to auto-use. The parking structure will provide approximately 330 parking spaces for shared use for the SAC and Metro Park-and-Ride.

Compton City Council Member Dr. Willie O. Jones, representing Compton’s 4th District, was present to celebrate the ground breaking ceremony and acknowledged the fine work of the city’s Redevelopment director and staff. “I am pleased to say that, despite the stumbling blocks that needed to be overcome in order for us to be here today for the ground breaking, just after Thanksgiving, “Jones said, “I am thankful that the city of Compton continues to build and move forward.”

Yvonne Arceneaux, Compton’s 3rd District Councilwoman, offered her congratulations to the Compton Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and thanked the citizens of Compton for their patience and support.

Current Assembly-member Hall, a former Compton City Council member, congratulated his former colleagues and applauded them for their perseverance in continuing the development of the long-awaited SAC. State Senator Rod Wright, who was in Sacramento tending to state business, sent his district representative, to offer his congratulations on this momentous occasion.

Lillie Dobson, Compton’s 2nd District Councilwoman, was another elected official who offered her congratulations to the CRA, and in her brief but inimitable style, declared, “This is a great day for the city of Compton.”

Funding for SAC and parking structure was derived from the Redevelopment Agency’s 2010 Tax Allocation Bond funds and is on schedule with the current construction schedule. The entire city of Compton is looking forward to the completed project in 2013.